American Artisan and Atlanta Gift Show prepping

Greg and I successfully made it through the heat of the American Artisan Festival, and we even sold some jewelry, too!  I also successfully survived the first craft show after baby - a mere 6 weeks after she was born.

Was I crazy to attempt it?

Yes.

But it was my third year of applying (and getting rejected) and I was so happy to actually get accepted!  But Lordy Lordy it was HOT (heat index was over 100°)!!!  But how cool was it to be in a show that I've been attending my whole life??  It was awesome, I tell you.  And having friends in the same city as the show had its perks - we had friends bring us some Las Paletas one day and another friend bring us Sweet Cece's the next.  Bless those dear people. May their air conditioners never fail them.

My sign really sparkles in the afternoon sun

Next we head to the Atlanta Gift Show - my first wholesale show after baby.  Again, yes I am crazy to attempt it but I am relearning time management - something I've not been so good at with so many distractions like facebook and email.  I am learning to say no to rushing orders out by staying up too late and to pace myself instead.  My brain may never be as sharp as before (babies apparently have a way of melting your brain cells away), but as long as my list-making skills stay in tact, I should be good to go.

Here are some photos of what prepping for a massive wholesale show look like:

This is what pendants look like after being shaped and hammered but before their finishing loop.

Displays - a work in progress.

More displays - these will be making their Atlanta debut

My jewelry table has little room for actual jewelry making - I do a lot of work in my lap no matter how often I clear it off!

Amazing.

This photographer makes me want to use my fancy jewelry camera on my baby more often.  Her name is Amelia Lyon and she lives in California AND she even teaches classes on how to be an awesome photographer.  I have found my inspiration for better family photography, although if I lived near her I would definitely book her.  Visit her website here: www.amelialyon.net

Here's one of my faves:

But this one is my absolute fave:

New model photos up on the website!

I just had a photo shoot with the lovely Libby Diaz (married to Jonny Diaz) and the photos turned out great!  Have a look-see:

One of the photos above is gracing my new wholesale catalogs which were supposed to be done today actually.... Hmm... I never heard from the printer so I guess they are are not ready, which is their m.o. and why I always tell them a few days before my actual deadline.  Shouldn't a printer with "speedy" in their name at least meet their deadline?

I'm back!

Yes, it's true - the website is open again!  And from the orders I've already gotten, it seems as though some people were standing by as the clock struck midnight on June 1st!  I'm calling it a "soft re-opening" since I'm not sending an email blast about it just yet.  I have so much on the books that I may not be ready to do an email blast until October!  Like a crazy person, I am still doing the Atlanta Gift Show and the New York Gift Show this summer - it sounded so plausible before baby was born.  Now it sounds like one enormous challenge but I know i can do it.  People do it every day, right?

It's not easy getting back in the saddle again after being out of the studio for four weeks, in addition to all the transition that a new baby brings!  My strategy has been to make mini to-do lists of only 5 things per day.  Have I crossed all 5 things off the list on any day?  No.  But they get done, usually in a day and a half and that's good enough for now.

I have some fun new things in the works for Freshie & Zero - new styles with more pretty gemstones, possibly more rose gold if I ever get around to that to-do list, and I have a photo shoot with a new model scheduled for Friday!  AND I will be exhibiting at the American Artisan Festival for the first time ever this month!  I have grown up going to this festival and I'm so pumped about it - it's my first outdoor craft show in my home town that I'll actually be exhibiting in!  Can we say it's about time?  Can we pray for a heat index below 85°?  The festival just added a facebook fan page - go over there and show them some love!

So peeps, thanks for being patient during my maternity leave!  I'm so happy to be making jewelry again!